Pneumatic setting-machine for sawmill-carriages.



No. 785,015. PATENTED MAR.14,19 05.

A. H. MASTERS.

PNEUMATIUSETTING MACHINE FOR SAWMILL GARRIAGES.

' APPLICATION FILED JULY 29. 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

i il'weufoz PATENTED MAR. 14, 1905,

H. MASTERS. I PNEUMATIC SETTING MACHINE FOR SAWMILL OARRIAGES.

APPLIUATION FILED JULY 29. 1904.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

Witmeaoua No. 785,015. PATENTEDMAR.14,1905.

\ A. H. MASTERS.

PNEUMATIC SETTING MACHINE FOR SAW I L GARRIAGES.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 29. 1904.

s sinus-MEET a.

j asfazzs;

attqmnu I NITED STATES Patented March 14., 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

PNEUMATIC SETTING-MACHINE FOR SAWMILL-CARRIAGES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 785,015, dated March14, 1905.

' Application filed July 29,1904. Serial No. 218,729.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER H. MASTERS, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Greensboro, in the county of Guilford and State ofNorth Carolina, have invented new and useful Improvements in PneumaticSetting Machines for Sawmill Carriages, of

which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to an improvement in sawmill machinery,particularly a handcontrolled pneumatic setting-machine forsawmill-carriages.

The main object of the invention is the provision of power-drivensetting-machines arranged to be manually controlled to regulate thehandling of the logs and gaging the thickness of lumber to be cut.

The preferred embodiment of the details of the invention are illustratedin the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a view in elevation ofthe setting-machine constructed in accordance with my invention, oneside of the casing being removed. v Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section ofthe same. Fig. 3 is a view in elevation of the machine, showing aretarding-cylinder for the piston, said cylinder and also thepowercylinder being in section. Fig. 4 is a plan view, partly insection, illustrating a modified means for regulating the movement ofthe piston. Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the same.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a base, preferably of metal, anddesigned to be secured to the usual sawmill carriage. A casing 2 issupported at one end of the base, being approximately circular invertical section and having vertical sides 3. A powercylinder 4 issecured to one end of the casing,

being supportedon the base by brace-bars 5, projecting from the oppositeend of the cylinder, said brace-bars being arranged in parallel relationand suitably spaced apart to permit operation of the parts hereinafterdescribed.

6 represents a piston operative within cylinder 4, the piston-rod 7 ofwhich projects between the brace-bars 5, being supported in suitablebearings 8, secured to or formed integral with the cylinder L andbrace-bars 5.

A shaft 9 is mounted in the side walls 3 of the casing 2, extendingtransversely of said 1 casing and being supported in suitable bearings10, as shown in Fig. 2. 11 represents a ratchet-wheel keyed upon shaft 9and formed on its edge with spur-teeth 12, said teeth extendingperipherally of the wheel.

14 represents a cross-head fixed on pistonrod 7 and carrying links 15,centrally secured to the head and projecting vertically therefrom inboth directions. Arm 16, respectively pivoted to the links above andbelow the cross-head, are attached at their opposite ends to pawl-levers17. The inner end of each lever 17 is loosely mounted on shaft 9contiguous the ratchet-wheel 11 and carry at their outer ends doublepawls 18, arranged for engagement with teeth 12.

It will be understood that, as shown in the drawings, there are two arms16, one above the other, below the piston-rod 7, and hence two arms 17,projecting in approximately opposite directions from shaft 9, and twopawls 18, one end of each of which is adapted for cooperation with itsadjacent set of ratchetteeth.

19 represents a valve-chest securedat one side of the cylinder L andhaving ports 20 leading from said chest to opposite ends of thepower-cylinder.

21 represents a supply-pipe communicating centrally with saidvalve-chest, and 22 22 represent exhaust-pipes communicating with thevalve-chest at opposite ends thereof. Both the exhaust-pipes feed to asingle pipe 23 below the valve-chest, in which latter pipe a suitablevalve 2 L is placed for a purpose hereinafter stated. Within the valvechest is mounted a valve 25, having enlarged ends 26 and a reducedintermediate portion 27. The ends 26 operate as closures forthe inletand exhaust, the valve being of such length as to simnltaneousl y cutoff both ports 20 when desired. The valve is manually operable throughthe medium of a handle 27, arranged exteriorly of the valve-chest, andany desired intermediate gearing to accomplish a sliding movement of thevalve in the operation of the handle.

In the use of the device the operator, by the proper manipulation ofhandle 27, may

cause the power fluid entering valve-chest 19 through inlet 21 to passthrough either port to operate the piston as desired, it being notedthat when the valve is arranged to admit power to one side of the pistonthe exexhaust 22 contiguous the port 20 at the opposite end of thecylinder is open to permit necessary exhaust.

From the construction described it will be noted that the reciprocatorymovement of the cross-head operates to continuously drive the ratchet 11in one direction, and to transmit said movement to the head-block of thesawcarriage I provide a vertically-arranged shaft 29, supported insuitable bearings on one side of the casing 2 and carrying at its upperend a bevel-gear to engage a bevel-gear 31, fixed on a projecting end ofshaft 9. The lower end of shaft 29 carries a gear 32, designed to beoperatively connected with the knees or knee-operating shaft of thesawmillcarriage, as is usual.

To provide means for limiting the movement of piston 6, and therebylimit the revolution of ratchet-wheel l1 and control the movement of theknees of the head-block, I provide a lever 33, bifurcated at its lowerend, as at 34, to straddle the piston-rod 7 beyond the cross-head 14.The lever is pivoted at its lower end to the base 1 and is provided atits upper end with the usual ratchet-and-pawl mechanism for locking thelever in adjusted position. The teeth or ratchet mounted in the usualquadrant 36, supported from the base 1, may be arranged to have adefinite relation to the desired adjustment of the knees hereinbeforereferred to, or the side of quadrant may be suitably divided byindicatingmarks to regulate the adjustment. By moving the lever thebifurcated end may be arranged to contact with the cross-head 14 andlimit its movement, thus of course limiting the revolution ofratchet-wheel '11 and controlling the movement of the knees.

By operating valve 24 to retard the exhaust from the valve-chest I amenabled to utilize said exhaust as a cushioning means to receive thepressure of the piston, as will be evident.

In Fig. 3 I have illustrated an additional means for cushioning the.piston, comprising a retarding-cylinder 37, supported on the base 1 inalinement with the piston-rod and arranged to contain oil or othersuitable fluid. The piston-rod 7 carries a head or auxiliary piston 38,operative within the cylinder 37. An external by-pass 39, communicatingwith the cylinder at opposite ends and carrying the valve 40, serves topermit the How of the fluid under pressure from the piston 38.

It may be found desirable to provide means for limiting the movement ofcross-head 14 in both directions, and in Figs. 4 and 5 I haveillustrated adjustable mechanism for this purpose. Referringparticularly to said figures, 41 and 42 represent rods supported at oneend v in the cylinder-head 4 and at the opposite ends in the base 1. Therods are arranged in horizontal alinement and are threaded contiguousthe cylinder 4, asat 43, and oppositely threaded at 44 on their remoteends. Blocks 45 are arranged one on each side the cross head 14,engaging, respectively, with the threaded portions 43 and 44 of the rods42. The free end of each of the rods 42 is provided with a gear 46,arranged for continuous engagement with an internal gear 47, havinghandles 48 and rznounted for revolution upon the pistonrod From theconstruction shown it is evident that revolution of the gear 47 willadjust the blocks 45 from or toward each other, increasing'or decreasingthe throw of the piston-rod 7 and limiting the revolution of theratchet- Wheel 11.

The pawls 18 are, as above described, doubleended-that is, havingoppositely-projected operating ends, as clearly shown in Fig. l. Therespective ends of the pawl are disposed out of alinement, beingarranged so that the respective ends are adapted for operativeengagement with opposite ends of teeth 12. The double pawl is balanced,being arranged so that either end may be manually moved into operativeengagement with the teeth. From this construction it will be seen thatthe engagement of one end of each pawl with one end of the teeth willcause a continuous movement of ratchet-wheel 11 during the fullreciprocation of piston-rod 7, while the engagement of the opposite endsof the pawls with the other ends of the teeth Will revolve Wheel 11 in areversedirection during movement of the piston. I have thus provided fora direct and reverse movement of the ratchet-wheel to completely governthe movement of the head-block. I I

The setting-machine described is particularly adapted for operation bycompressed air, and I prefer such motive fluid, as it may beconveniently delivered from a storage-cylinder or from a pump, avoidingthe condensation and heating effect and other disadvantages resultingfrom the use of steam.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1. Apneumatic setting-machine for sawmill-carriages,a base, a powerwheel,areciprocating piston, across-head on the piston, means for connectingthe cross-head and power-wheel to impart motion to the latter, and meansarranged on opposite sides of the cross-head and connected forsimultaneous adjustment to control the degree of movement of the pistonin both directions.

2. A pneumatic setting-machine for sawmill-carriages, a base, apower-wheel mounted on the base, a reciprocating piston, a crosshead onthe piston, means for connecting the cross-head and power-wheel toimpart motion to the latter, a rod, means carried by said rod andarranged on each side of the cross-head, and means for operating saidrod to simultaneously adjust the means carried by the rod to control thedegree of movement of the piston in both directions.

3. A pneumatic setting-machine for sawmill-carriages, a power-Wheel, areciprocating piston, means for connecting the piston and power-Wheel toimpart motion to the latter, and means arranged for simultaneousadjustment to control the degree of movement of the piston in bothdirections.

4. A pneumatic setting-machine for sawmill-carriages, a power-Wheel, apower-driven piston, means for connecting the piston and power-Wheel toimpart motion to the latter, a rod, means carried by said rod'andadapted to control the degree of movement of the piston in bothdirections. and means for operating said rod to simultaneously adjustthe means carried by the rod.

5. A pneumatic setting-machine for saw mill-carriages, a base, apower-wheel mounted on the base, a reciprocating piston, a crossheadcarried by the piston, means to connect the cross-head and thepower-Wheel to impart motion to the latter, rods having threadedportions, blocks movable on said threaded portions and arranged on eachside of the crosshead, gears secured to said heads, an internal gearadapted to mesh with said first-named gears, and means arranged on saidinternal gear, whereby it may be operated to rotate the rods to adjustthe blocks to limit the movement of the piston in both directions.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

ALEXANDER H. MASTERS.

Witnesses:

Ron'r. E. DAvIDs, MACE L. MASTERS.

